VALDOSTA – You might be hurt, feeling down or just coming off an eight hour road trip, but once the smoke clears and you hear the cheers of fans, it’s on.

That’s the philosophy of Harlem Globetrotter Moose Weekes who said that has been his experience in his 12 years as a Globetrotter.

He and fellow Globetrotters, Wham Middleton and Torch George, graced the stage at Wild Adventures July 10, showing a crowd of 100-plus how they play the game of basketball.

With gags, trick shots and interactions with parents and kids, the trio entertained the crowd from start to finish. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, Weekes said.

“It doesn’t matter who or where in the arena, (but) somebody is looking at you (and) anybody could be somebody’s favorite,” he said.

Beyond the professionalism and craftsmanship that goes into it, Weekes said being a Globetrotter means you’re a world class talent which furthermore means you need to be perfect — or as close to it as possible — on whatever stage you’re on.

When you get there, you might be encountering parents who saw Globetrotters past — Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal, Gator Rivers, Geese Ausbie — the legends.

“They want to see it like they remember it and so you have to uphold this legacy,” Weekes said. “It’s something we cherish and we carry with pride.”

It’s something that should be carried with pride as all Globetrotters enter a field where they can inspire so many in different ways, he said. 

George finds herself in a very important position in this aspect. Being a Globetrotter is something she considers an honor and a blessing, but it’s a position where she finds herself in the forefront as a role model.

“There was a break before TNT (Linder) came–it was (about) 20 years with no females (in the Globetrotters),” George said. “In my mind, I would hate for that to ever happen again.”

She posed a question: If for 20 years no little girls saw a female Harlem Globetrotter, what could that do to a generation?

They lose that introduction to the sport, leading to a lack of love for it and a lack of inspiration to play it, she suggested. 

For this reason, George wants to give young girls someone to look up to, whether that be herself, Linder, or whatever female Globetrotters are on the roster.

To be a Harlem Globetrotter is to be an experience, Weekes said, one that inspires memories — lifelong memories — and later ignites them.

When people see the brand, they might remember how they felt, who they were with, what they wore, or even a moment of interaction where they were chosen from the top rafters of the stadium.

“Something I always try to tell rookies is you have to take this seriously because you want that memory to be something that people can cherish,” he said. “It’s really sensible. They might forget your name, but they’re going to remember (the moment).”

Valdosta may be a smaller stage than the Globetrotters are used to, but it’s one where they kept the same energy as they would have performing at Madison Square Garden.

That’s how Middleton put it. He said it doesn’t matter how many people are out there, the crowd is going to get the same energy each and every time.

Weekes said it’s even more of a point to give that energy if not more to smaller towns like Valdosta just because it’s not on everyone’s radar to come to. You’ve got to make it count.

“I want to make it count for these people every time,” Weekes said. “I don’t care how hot it is, I want them to feel like they got the best show of their life.”

Under that notion is the point of making the crowd feel welcome, first and foremost. Interacting with the crowd is not necessarily the secret to their success, rather a common courtesy, the players said. 

Between basketball and smiles, it’s all body language —positive body language — which is something you need to communicate with when visiting countries where you don’t speak the same language, they said, adding, everybody connects with a smile.

“You greet somebody with a smile, they’re more than likely to greet you back with one,” Weekes said. “I’d like to think we’re the most approachable athletes on the planet.

Wild Adventures Director of Marketing Patrick Pearson said he found this to be true. Between the “old gags and tricks” they perform, the guests were thoroughly entertained, he said.

“They’re awesome performers,” Pearson said. “They do a really great job and not only that, they’re great athletes.

The Harlem Globetrotters were brought to Wild Adventures as part of the theme park’s two-week “Celebrate America” festival, functioning as the festival’s main closers.

You can’t get more American than them, Pearson said. But Weekes said always remember one thing.

“We’re not just America’s team, we’re the world’s team,” he said. “Everywhere we go in the world, we’re the home team, so that’s special.”